Brexit Deal Helps Lock U.K. Into Customs Union the EU Wanted

For months, the struggle to work out a temporary fix for the Irish border stood in the way of a Brexit deal. Now, it turns out the solution looks neither temporary nor solely for the Irish border. As the agreement gets picked over by Theresa May’s Cabinet, it will become clear that in signing up to the so-called backstop to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, the U.K. may be committing itself to something more permanent.